EP1447334A1 - Food container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container with large and small ends for foodstuffs and drinks comprises a closure cap which is removable from the large end, and can be attached to the small end to serve as a foot of the resultant open container. An independent claim is also included for a method for using the proposed container for direct consumption of its contents.

Description

The present invention relates to a food container.

Food containers are known in a wide variety of forms, such as cans, Bottles and the like.

Often, the food is made from one that is used for storage and transport Poured food containers into other containers for consumption. For example, drinks from bottles or cans in cups, mugs, jugs or glasses filled and drunk. In other cases, foods are made Transport and storage containers filled in plates, bowls and the like.

The present invention is based on the technical problem, a new one and to specify advantageous containers for food.

The invention is directed to a container for food with a narrow End, a wide end opposite to the narrow end, and one Closure at the wide end, which is removable from the container, around an opening of the container at the wide end and that at the narrow end can be fixed so that the container is then placed on the closure as a stand can be and is open at the wide end upwards.

The food container according to the invention is characterized in that it is both for transporting and storing food as well as for consumption the same is designed. The invention is based on the observation that vessels that are open at the top and are used to consume many foods have a tapered shape. This applies to many glasses, in particular Wine glasses, champagne glasses, Pilsner glasses, wheat beer glasses and others, but also for many cups including soup cups and also for bowls. In some cases the downward tapering form is a technical function, it is often only perceived as aesthetic or with a better taste of the food associated with consumption from the container.

Specifically, it is perceived as unpleasant and also unaesthetic with drinks, to consume them straight from a bottle.

The container according to the invention has one of a closure at its wide end closed opening for consuming the food from the container on. This opening is large enough to allow pleasant consumption enable, approximately adapted to a common glass opening size for that in the container contained drink or so big that the food when it is not is a beverage, picked from the container, spooned or otherwise removed can be.

The end of the container opposite the wide end is in contrast narrow at least in one direction, preferably in two directions, so that the Container with the broad end pointing upwards, a tapering downwards Shape shows.

According to the closure of the removal opening at the wide end used as a stand after its removal and with the narrow end coupled. The container can now be placed with the narrow end pointing downwards without becoming a special one due to the narrowness of this end Instability would be feared. The container now forms one, for example downward tapering bowl, cup (including soup cup) or a typical down under tapered drinking vessel (using the term "glass" here for drinking vessels is used without restricting it to the material "glass"). In order to the food can also be taken on the go or without carrying any other containers consume immediately after shopping. At the same time, they can be tastefully and aesthetically satisfying way from a beverage glass or enjoyed in a bowl.

The invention is preferably directed to a beverage bottle described in the Way as a drinking vessel, for example as a champagne flute, wine glass or beer tulip, can be used.

Typical beverage applications are in the area of wine, beer, sparkling wine, but also for soft drinks, juices, milk and milk drinks or drinking yoghurt. The However, the invention can also be used for soups or for non-liquid foods, for example sweets to be presented in a bowl.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has a further closure, at the narrow end of the food container. That closure is referred to below as the second closure - in contrast to the closure on the broad, referred to below as the first closure The End. In particular, it can be the second closure and the corresponding one second opening is a standard beverage bottle stopper that is suitable for usual filling systems is designed. So here would be a beverage bottle over the filled second opening and emptied through the first opening (at the first closure). Correspondingly, this can also apply to other food containers with different ones Content apply.

The closures described are preferably screw closures. It can the first closure is preferably coupled to the food container, that the second closure with a recess in the first closure is set. For example, the second closure can be in this recess be plugged in. Usual beverage bottle closures often have bottle axis parallels Corrugations. If the inner surface of the recess in has a corresponding fit to the first closure and in particular if it is complementarily corrugated, the second closure, that is narrow end of the container, inserted in the first closure and clamped in it become. The matching lateral surfaces can also be easily be conical. Incidentally, screw connections can of course also be made at this point or other connections such as bayonet locks can be used.

Incidentally, it is not absolutely necessary that the first opening after removal the first shutter is open. As a precaution, you can add another one Provide a closure option, such as a film to be torn off, so that initially the first closure is coupled to the other end of the container and there is still no risk of spilling the food content.

Incidentally, the two closures can of course also have other shapes than Have screw caps, for example, it can be glued and over a predetermined breaking point closures to be torn open, similar to crown caps jammed closures and hold other. In particular, the second closure can also be a tear-open or Tear-off film.

Preferred materials for the container according to the invention are PET, glass and Sheet. The food container preferably consists at least with the exception of Closures mainly made of such material. If it is a glass container acts, the closures can be made of sheet metal, for example, as such is already known from screw cap on beverage glass bottles. PET is total the preferred material of the invention (again using the closures other plastics or sheet metal).

The invention is directed to the food container both when empty, So designed for filling with a food, as well as when filled. The fill level is preferably clear compared to the technically possible fill level reduced. This can cause an overflow after the first closure has been removed should be avoided because the level is too high. For carbonated drinks The same applies to the development of foam after opening. Preferably the level in relation to the first closure in a position with the first closure compared to 10%, better 15%, preferably at least 20% the total container height is reduced.

With many beverages such as wine or sparkling wine, it is also found to be pleasant to drink from an under-full drinking vessel, which can also be a reason for a reduced filling level. A protective gas, such as CO ₂ , can of course be used to protect the food.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine Aufrissdarstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Bierflasche als Ausführungsbeispiel.

Fig. 2

zeigt die Bierflasche aus Fig. 1 mit einem zur Illustration einerseits über einer ersten Öffnung in abgenommenen Zustand und andererseits unter einem zweiten Verschluss ein weiteres Mal gezeichneten ersten Verschluss.

Fig. 3

zeigt die Bierflasche aus den Fig. 1 und 2 mit auf den zweiten Verschluss aufgesetztem ersten Verschluss als Standfuß.

In the following an embodiment is explained in more detail, which is shown in the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1

shows an elevation of a beer bottle according to the invention as an embodiment.

Fig. 2

1 shows the beer bottle from FIG. 1 with a first closure drawn for illustration above a first opening in the removed state and on the other hand drawn again under a second closure.

Fig. 3

shows the beer bottle from FIGS. 1 and 2 with the first closure placed on the second closure as a base.

Fig. 1 shows a conventional appearance of the invention in the front view Bottle, which in this example is a wheat beer bottle should act. The bottle 1 has a wider cylindrical one at the bottom in FIG. 1 Area with a wide end of the bottle 1 pointing downward in FIG. 1 and a tapered bottle neck pointing upward in FIG. 1. That below lying broad end, as indicated in FIG. 1 only by a dividing line, a first screw cap 2. One that closes the bottle neck up The narrow end of the bottle 1 has a second screw cap 3 with an axially extending profiling of the Shell surface of the second closure 3. The bottle 1 is made of PET, the Closures 2 and 3 made of sheet metal or another plastic, such as PE.

The second screw cap 3 closes a conventional bottle opening at the top End of the bottle neck through which the bottle is filled with an ordinary automatic filling machine has been filled with wheat beer. The bottle 1 is shown in FIG. 1 Form in the usual way for beer bottles or other bottles in boxes or drinks crates are transported, stored and sold and appear to the consumer therefore without further ado as a beverage bottle.

If the bottle content, here the wheat beer, is to be consumed, the consumer provides the bottle 1 upside down, as shown in Fig. 2, and screws the first Screw cap 2 from the wide end of the bottle 1. This is above in Fig. 2 symbolized with the arrow. 2 shows the screw thread on the bottle 1 for fastening the screw cap 2.

The consumer now holds the bottle 1 in the manner shown in FIG. 2, places the unscrewed screw cap 2 on a table top, for example and presses the second screw cap 3 into one in the first screw cap 2 provided recess, which is complementary to the outer contour of the second screw cap 3 is formed. This recess is designated 4 and only shown in dashed lines. The consumer can of course be the first Screw cap 2 also by hand from below onto the second screw cap 3 put on.

In the present case, it is a plug-in connection, because of the already mentioned profiling of the second screw cap 3, a complementary Profiling the recess 4 and finally a slight taper both the outer jacket of the second screw cap 3 and the inner jacket surface the recess 4 clamps well after appropriate axial pressure. This results in the situation shown in FIG. 3, in which the beer bottle 1 is open the first screw cap 2, which now serves as a base, can be turned off can.

The bottle 1 now forms a wheat beer glass with the typical slight rejuvenation in the area below. The wheat beer can be made without the use of additional drinking vessels or tools and without drinking from a usual small bottle opening must be enjoyed. This is done by the first screw cap 2 uncovered wide opening in the upper end of the wheat beer bottle 1 in FIG is designated here by 5.

The bottle 1 according to the invention is preferably transparent, but it can colored to protect the content from light. The first screw cap 2 is designed essentially flat and wide and, like the rest of bottle 1, has one circular cross section seen in the bottle axis direction. It's in the situation in Fig. 1 downward facing surface is flat and designed so that the bottle 1 can stand well on the first screw cap 2 in this situation. The same applies to the situation of Fig. 3 and thus for the second flat side of the Screw cap 2.

You can also easily imagine deviations in the shape of the bottle, such as even more pronounced neck shapes, for example for ("Piccolo") champagne bottles, the flute-like after the procedure shown in the figures Serve champagne glass, or bulbous forms, for example for those laid out on a glass content Wine bottles. The same applies to the various previously mentioned other types of drinks and finally also for non-flowable foods. you could, for example, be less in comparison to the exemplary embodiment tall and wide container according to the invention for chocolates or others Introduce confectionery after the procedure shown in the figures serves as a serving bowl in an optically attractive way.

It is also clear that the second screw cap 3 and the associated one "conventional" bottle opening are not absolutely necessary. They are used for fillability the bottle 1 by conventional means, make the appearance familiar with the bottle and finally allow easy pouring of the Bottle contents in the usual form in another drinking vessel, if this is from Consumers is desired.

The invention enables the use of familiar bottle shapes or container shapes without through during filling, transportation and storage Breaking or pollution-prone outer profile shapes while at the same time Can be used as a drinking vessel or other consumer vessel with one after under tapering vessel shape and stable base.

Claims (10)

Containers (1) for food with
a narrow end (3),
a wide end opposite to the narrow end (3)
and a fastener (2) at the wide end,
which is removable from the container (1) to expose an opening (5) of the container (1) at the wide end
and which can be fixed at the narrow end (3), so that the container (1) can then be placed on the closure (2) as a base and is open at the wide end. Container (1) according to claim 1 with a second closure (3) on the narrow End (3), which closes a second opening of the container (1). A container (1) according to claim 2, wherein the second closure (3) is a screw closure is. A container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first closure (2) is a screw cap. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, at least claim 2, in which the second closure (3) in a recess (4) in the first closure (2) can be determined. A container (1) according to claim 5, wherein the second closure (3) by a Plug connection can be fixed in the recess (4). Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which at least one essential part consists of PET, glass or sheet metal. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims with a contained therein Food, especially drinks. A container (1) according to claim 8, wherein the beverage is at the top of the first Closure (2) relative to the total container height one compared to the first Closure (2) has at least 10% reduced fill level. Method for consuming a food from a container (1) according to one of claims 8-9, wherein the first closure (2) of the container (1) removed from the first opening (5) of the container (1) and on the narrow one End of the container (1) is set, the container (1) on the first closure (2) is set down as a stand and the food on the after open container (1) is consumed.

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